The disclosure relates to compositions and methods for coloring hair. Typically, hair is colored by application of dyes and/or bleaching agents (coloring agents). For optimum efficiency during the dyeing and/or the bleaching process, the coloring agents should be concentrated as much as possible on the hair fiber. In addition, a barrier to aid in highlighting and lowlighting hair would be useful. Such a barrier would allow coloring agents to selectively color portions of hair while leaving other portions of hair protected and uncolored thus giving highlights or lowlights in selected portions of the hair. Accordingly, a hair coloring composition that aids in the distribution of coloring agents onto the hair fiber would be useful in making more efficient use of hair coloring agents.